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Plumeria Plant

My Sister Dale's Garden

My Sister Dale’s Garden
Lisa Lahey

A virtual tour of the memorial website www.mysisterdalesgarden.com begins with a photograph of a hand-printed logo reading “My Sister Dale’s Garden”. The photo gallery is quite breathtaking with over 1200 photographs ranging from the Prize Plumeria, a flower transplanted to California after surviving Hurricane Rita, to the Mexian  Petunia, to the Panama Pacific Waterlily gracing the pathways along Dale’s garden, an impressive feat considering the garden flourishes in the lower California desert. 

In 2004, Dale Diamond was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.  Like many cancer patients she began a series of chemotherapy and radiation treatments ravaging her body nearly as much as the disease itself.  Dale also actively pursued meditation and mental imagery.  She was open to anything that might extend her life and perhaps even send her disease into remission.

Sadly Dale lost her battle to lung cancer two years after the initial diagnosis. At first her sister Miriam Diamond grieved terribly. Her precious sister Dale had passed and life without her would never be the same.  However Miriam made a promise to Dale that she would plant a peach tree in her memory.  Instead she planted three and they flourished beautifully.  The garden bloomed beyond Miriam’s wildest expectations. The garden began a wonderful journey of healing.  It was a means for Miriam to remember Dale in a manner that helped to ease the gloom of her passing and bring about astounding beauty and joy in the process. Miriam scattered some of Dale’s ashes in the garden, showering the flowers and plants with Dale’s love and presence.

Eventually Miriam created her website to share the pictures taken in Dale’s garden with others, to share the beauty that comes from her sister Dale on a daily basis. She also created it to raise money and awareness for lung cancer—specifically the Lung Cancer Alliance.

Miriam initially was touched with the number of generous responses to her website and blog (www.mysisterdalesgarden.blogspot.com). Many people have a sad tale to tell about the loss of a loved one to cancer, or people who themselves are fighting their own personal battle against this debilitating disease.

Out of a tale of tragic loss however, the garden stands as a tribute to the beauty and strength that marked Dale’s life before she succumbed to lung cancer.  Like the beautiful Prize Plumeria, ravaged by Hurricane Rita and yet somehow transplanted to the garden of paradise, Dale’s memory and essence lives on.

About the Author

I am an Elementary Schoolteacher writing and blogging for a number of causes. One reason I am using Articlesbase is for a friend in California whose sister Dale died of lung cancer 4 years ago. Since then Miriam has established a beautiful Memorial Garden in her sister's honor (check it out at www.mysisterdalesgarden.com). The website is not at all promotional in a profiteering sense and neither is this bio. Miriam wants to remember her sister with a gorgeous garden. Please visit the website if you are interested. You can also get some cool gardening tips while you are there!
I like posting articles in regard to primary education, particularly in the area of early literacy skills acquisition.
I'm a bit goth in my spare time, I love art and I love to write. I also love to read other people's work so I intend to go crazy on here!

frangipani flower farm / Plumeria

What Type of Frangipani is That?

The question of how many frangipani (or plumeria) species there are is actually quite a contentious one. Some gardening experts say there are only 2, and all others are subspecies or hybrids. Others say 3, 4 or more.

As this article is for the everyday gardener to help them identify what type of frangipani they have seen, not for the scientist or expert, I'll describe the four main types of frangipani or plumeria that you are likely to find in your garden or local nurseries.

 

Plumeria Rubra

The most common frangipani is the Plumeria Rubra. Rubra come in many colours, from white to cream to yellow, even oranges, pinks (both pale and hot pink), reds and even deep cerise. They also come in multiple colours (such as pink, apricot and yellow in the one flower). And Rubra has the most fragrant flowers!

The flowers themselves have medium sized, oval shaped petals (always 5 of them) which are joined tightly at the base. The flower starts as a long tube, then the petals slowly unwrap and open to form the frangipani flower we all know and love.

The leaves from a Plumeria Rubra are long and oval and have quite a pointed end. The leaves are quick to drop off as the winter coolness approaches.

A Plumeria Rubra can grow to 5m tall and almost as wide.

 

Plumeria Obtusa

One of the most popular frangipanis is the Plumeria Obtusa, also known as a Singapore White or Singapore Pink.  As the name suggests, these flowers only come in shades of pink and white, although I am sure there are frangipani fanciers somewhere working on some new cultivars!

The petals on a Plumeria Obtusa flower are rounder than those of Plumeria Rubra, and they tend to bend over backwards at the very tips.

The Plumeria Obtusa is also known as the evergreen frangipani,  as, in the right climate, they will keep their leaves all year round. The leaves are a glossy dark green, long and oval. The ends of the leaves, however, are more rounded than those of the Plumeria Rubra.

Plumeria Obtusa are smaller plants than Plumeria Rubra and grow only to the size of a medium to large shrub (depending on your climate).

 

Plumeria Stenophylla

If you are familiar with Plumeria Rubra and Plumeria Obtusa, your first glance at the leaves on a Plumeria Stenophylla will have you totally confused! Plumeria Stenophylla leaves are very long and thin, not unlike an oleander.

The flower petals of a Plumeria Stenophylla are also very long and thin, and have a wider gap between each petal than a Plumeria Rubra. As with Plumeria Obtusa, they are generally only available in shades of white or cream, but it's probably only a matter of time before more vibrant colours become available.

Plumeria Stenophylla is a well shaped bushy shrub with a long lasting flower display. It grows to approximately 2.5m.

 

Plumeria Pudica

Plumeria Pudica are very easy to grow, and bloom heavily for a long time. Like Plumeria Obtusa, they can be evergreen in warmer locations.

Plumeria Pudica leaves are dark green and a unique spoon shape (long and thin, and then widen out towards the tip, like the shape of a soup spoon).

The flower petals of a Plumeria Pudica are similar to those of Plumeria Obtusa. They are more rounded than Plumeria Rubra, creating a more rounded flower, however they do not arch backwards like the Obtusa. Again, they are generally only available in shades of white or cream, however a new pink cultivar has just been released.

Plumeria Pudica is a medium sized tree with profuse branching.

 

Other Plumerias of Note

If the plumeria you have seen or heard of is not listed here, it may be one of the more popular hybrids such as Plumeria Stenopetala, Plumeria Tuberculata or Plumeria Caracasana.

Plumeria Stenopetala is actually a hybrid cross between a Plumeria Stenophylla  and an unknown plumeria. It is a small compact plant, usually less than 2m tall, with deciduous long narrow leaves and long petalled  flowers (very similar to the Stenophylla).

Plumeria Tuberculata is a shrubby, evergreen plumeria with long rounded leaves and very large, very thin petalled flowers (thinner than Stenophylla and Stenopetala).

Plumeria Caracasana is a large tree with spoon shaped leaves (similar to Pudica) with very large flowers. Like Obtusa flowers, the petals of Caracasana bend over backwards near the tip, though not to the same extent. Also, the petals are thinner than either Obtusa or Pudica, and are much more the same shape as those of a Rubra.

Summary

Well, hopefully this little guide will help you identify what type of frangipani you have in your garden, or have spied in a neighbour's garden. If not, feel free to drop me a line at my website (see the author resource box).

About the Author

Diane Ellis is co-owner of the site All Things Frangipani where you'll find information about frangipanis (plumeria) including growing tips, propagation, and frangipani pests and diseases. You can also buy beautiful frangipani gifts such as jewellery, UV resistant outdoor stickers, toiletries, gift packs, and hand crafted bags.

The Exotic Plumeria $33.86 The Exotic Plumeria

Plant $7.99 Plant

TerraNova Plumeria Botanical Watermist $18 Buy TerraNova body spray - TerraNova Plumeria 4.25 oz Botanical Watermist

glominerals gloCream Blush Plumeria $25 Buy glominerals blushers highlighters - glominerals gloCream Blush Plumeria

Hawaiian Lei: Plumeria $9.99 Beautiful Hawaiian flower lei. Plumeria tropical lei has colorful cloth flowers.

Plumeria Alligator Clips - Purple $3.99 Alligator clip features plumeria flower with glitter accents. Approximately 3 wide. Imported.

Sterling Silver Reflections Plumeria Floral Bead $15 Sterling Silver Reflections Plumeria Floral Bead